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Straits Times

T.H.E Dance Company's cont·act festival returns with new collaborative works

Sloth Canon, featuring dancers from Singapore and Vancouver, is one of four new pieces for cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2025. PHOTO: CRISPIAN CHAN SINGAPORE – Expect a dynamic new dance work in Sloth Canon, which is built around dancers' personalities and their decision-making in real time, according to co-creator Anthea Seah. She created the piece with Canadian choreographer Josh Martin, co-artistic director of Vancouver-based dance group Company 605. Sloth Canon features three dancers – Billy Keohavong, Haruka Chan and Chang En – from Singapore, and two dancers – Brandon Lee Alley and Rebecca Margolick – from Vancouver. The work is one of four new pieces in the line-up for cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2025. Organised by The Human Expression (T.H.E) Dance Company, the annual celebration of new and rising dance talents is on from June 13 to 29. Kuik Swee Boon, 52, founder and artistic director of T.H.E Dance Company, says 2025 is a milestone. The company is marking the 15th anniversary of the festival, so the programme is both a celebration of the past and a look forward at its aspirations. cont·act is one of Singapore's longest-running festivals dedicated to contemporary dance, and Kuik admits there are challenges to organising such an event. He says: 'At present, our most pressing challenge lies in the rising costs of production, which have not been matched by an equivalent increase in revenue or grants.' He adds that slow ticket sales are also 'cause for considerable concern' and attributes this to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Our experiences during local and international tours over the past few years have shown us that this is a global issue. These are fundamental issues faced by the arts community.' Nonetheless, T.H.E. is committed to the festival as a platform for younger choreographers. Hence, Seah, 35, who has been with the company since 2015 and was appointed resident choreographer in April, is working on Sloth Canon. The work will debut in Canada on June 5 before coming to Singapore. It is travelling to Jakarta from June 28 to 29. Seah says discussions on the partnership began in 2022 and has now become a full-fledged co-production between the two dance companies. 'It was an experience watching how Company 605's and our methodologies mesh to make a world. Having dancers from Vancouver as well as Singapore has also been crucial to the collaborative process.' Other smaller collaborative works at the festival include Singaporean Pat Toh and Australian Jenni Large's Mothership and a duet by Singaporean Adele Goh and South Korean Kwon Hyuk under the Open Stage programme. Seah says: 'I hope more Singaporean audiences can come and experience what contemporary dance is. Sloth Canon is based on the human need to make and create something preposterous. I hope people can come and see that reflected, or even just come in to laugh or cry and feel befuddled with life.' Book it/ Sloth Canon Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive When: June 20 and 21, 7.30pm, June 21 and 22, 3pm Admission: $30 Info: Go to Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.